Some of the best sights around Pondicherry can only be seen properly from the water. A short ferry crosses the backwater to a sandbar beach, rowing boats slip through mangrove tunnels an hour down the coast, round coracles spin between the rocks of the Kaveri, and further afield there are hill lakes and the Kerala backwaters. Most boat trips are short, cheap and easy to fit into a day of sightseeing with a car and driver.
Boat trips in and near Pondicherry
- Chunnambar Boat House (about 8 km south of town) – the boat across the backwater to Paradise Beach, part of our local sightseeing tour. At the time of writing, ferries run roughly from 9 am to 4 pm.
- Ousteri Lake (about 12 km) – the Puducherry tourism corporation runs a small boat club with pedal boats; go early in winter, when the wetland is full of birds.
- Pichavaram mangroves near Chidambaram – Tamil Nadu Tourism (TTDC) runs rowing and motor boats under licence from the Forest Department. Choose a rowing boat: only small boats can enter the narrow channels under the mangroves. See the Poompuhar, Chidambaram and Pichavaram day trip or our family holiday.
- Muttukadu, on the East Coast Road between Mahabalipuram and Chennai – a TTDC boat house on a backwater, opened in 1984, with motor boats and kayaks; an easy stop on a Mahabalipuram day out.
Coracles and hill-lake boating
At Hogenakkal, licensed boatmen take visitors in round, woven coracles through the gorge below the falls – see the Hogenakkal coracle ride and the Hogenakkal and Yelagiri weekend, which adds boating on Punganoor Lake in Yelagiri. Rides are stopped whenever the river is high.
Every Tamil Nadu hill station has a lake with rowing and pedal boats: Yercaud Lake on the Yercaud Hill Getaway, Kodaikanal Lake on the Kodaikanal Hill Holiday, Ooty Lake on the Ooty, Coonoor and Mysore tour, and the small Vasalurpatti boating lake on the Kolli Hills Getaway.
Wildlife boats and Kerala cruises
- Periyar Tiger Reserve, Thekkady – forest-department boats on Periyar Lake, where elephants and gaur often come to the shore. Tickets are for fixed slots and sell out early.
- Ranganathittu near Mysore – rowing boats managed by the Karnataka Forest Department pass close to nesting islands; boating is suspended when the Kaveri floods.
- Alleppey and Kumarakom – houseboat (kettuvallam) day cruises and overnight stays, or a slower shikara or country boat through the canals. See our Munnar, Thekkady and Alleppey tour, the Kerala coast tour and the Kerala houseboat guide.
- Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Kanyakumari – a short public ferry to the rock, suspended in rough seas.
Best season and safety tips
November to March suits most coastal and lake boating, with calm water and, at Pichavaram and Ousteri, winter birds. Hill lakes are pleasant from March to June too. Hogenakkal and Ranganathittu depend on the Kaveri's level, so check on the day after heavy rain. The Nehru Trophy snake-boat race on Punnamada Lake at Alleppey is held on the second Saturday of August.
- Book only at official counters, and wear the life jacket you are given.
- Timings, fares and closures change with weather and water levels – check before you go.
- Houseboats, safaris and forest boat tickets are booked separately; tell us on WhatsApp (+91 96265 65138) and we will plan the drive around your slot.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Paradise Beach from Pondicherry?
Drive about 8 km south to the Chunnambar Boat House and take the boat across the backwater to the sandbar. At the time of writing ferries run roughly from 9 am to 4 pm.
Is a rowing boat or motor boat better at Pichavaram?
A rowing boat. Motor boats stay in the wider open water, while small rowing boats can enter the narrow channels under the mangroves, which is the main reason to go.
Can you do boating at Ousteri Lake?
Yes. The Puducherry tourism corporation runs a small boat club with pedal boats on the lake. Timings and rates change, so check at the counter.
Are Hogenakkal coracle rides open all year?
No. Rides are run by licensed boatmen and are stopped whenever the Kaveri is high or in flood, which can happen after heavy rain upstream. Check the local situation before travelling.
When is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race?
It is held on Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha (Alleppey) on the second Saturday of August each year, unless the authorities reschedule it.
